MLB No Runs First Inning (NRFI) Picks & Predictions: Friday (4/24)
Welcome to another beautiful day where baseball is back and the sun is starting to shine down again. Let's bet some NRFI's! NRFI stands for No-Run First Inning. It's a popular betting market where gamblers wager on whether the first inning of an MLB game will end with zero runs scored by either team. Pretty simple. NRFI bets are the best because they're quick – sometimes you'll know the outcome within minutes. NRFI bets can provide an edge over other markets if you’ve researched. I'm here to help provide that edge. As always, shop around for the best odds and be on the lookout for lineup announcements, which can significantly impact the outcome. It was a winning week last time out and now I plan to build on that bankroll today. Let's dive into some of our best MLB No Runs First Inning (NRFI) picks on this April 24th slate.
Friday's Best MLB No Runs First Inning (NRFI) Picks
Last Time: 2-1 | Season: 6-5 | 2025 Season: 30-25
Washington Nationals vs. Chicago White Sox
Starting Pitchers: Miles Mikolas vs. Bryan Hudson
Starting up in the Windy City, Miles Mikolas takes the bump against the White Sox. Mikolas' tenure with the Nationals has been off to a bumpy start as he has gone 0-3 with a 9.15 ERA in five appearances. What's shocking is that he hasn't allowed a first inning run in any of his four starts, limiting opponents to a .167 batting average and .397 OPS. Chicago counters with an opener today as southpaw Bryan Hudson will throw in the opening frame. This is intentional as the Nationals will likely start three of four left-handed batters. Washington has been surprisingly efficient in the first inning but Hudson's 1.67 ERA is going to be tough to handle. I expect this one to go quietly early, and you're getting good value on the bet.
Play: NRFI (-105 bet365)
Los Angeles Angels vs. Kansas City Royals
Starting Pitchers: Yusei Kikuchi vs. Noah Cameron
Next up we have the Kansas City Royals who have been one of the worst offenses in the early innings hosting the Los Angeles Angeles. Yusei Kikuchi hasn't been the best starter but he hasn't allowed a run in the first inning in three of his five starts and the Royals lineup doesn't exactly scare me at the top. The Angels are the scarier option. But Noah Cameron has been locked in this year the first time through the lineup. He's yet to allow a run in the first inning over his four starts and has allowed just one hit, good for an .077 opponent batting average. This is a long trip for LA so I'm happy to play the narrative that they are sluggish to get going but either way, the NRFI should be a lot more juiced than it currently sits.
Play: NRFI (-117 BetRivers)
Athletics vs. Texas Rangers
Starting Pitchers: Luis Severino vs. Nathan Eovaldi
We can't go completely NRFI now, can we? Both Severino and Eovaldi have struggled this year and it's not much better when looking at the opening frame. The A's starter has allowed five first inning runs in five starts this year with opponents recording a 1.009 OPS off him. Eovaldi isn't much better with a 7.20 opening frame ERA in five go's. I know it's a small sample size but it isn't promising for run prevention. Offensively, both teams actually rank in the top 10 at YRFI rate with the Rangers going 16-9 YRFI-NRFI so far this year. You can find YRFI at plus odds across the market and I'd scoop that up because there will likely be fireworks early here.
Play: YRFI (+100 FanDuel)